NY The numerical expression of April 21st could soon mark a movement of cultural significance, parallel to that of the ‘cannabis holiday’ of April 20th, aka 420. This year April 21, aka 421, will mark the inaugural kickoff of 421 FOR ALL, a historic campaign to promote and advocate for a fair, equitable cannabis industry by focusing on criminal justice reform, social and economic empowerment, patient rights, environmental protectionism, and inclusion/diversity matters.
Highlighting this day of justice will be a live-streamed fundraising event at New York City’s Chelsea Music Hallat 8PM benefiting some of the organizations leading the way for cannabis equality, including Drug Policy Alliance, Cage-Free Repair, National Bail Out and Veterans Health Solutions.
Produced by Four Twenty One For All Inc. (421 Co.), a group dedicated to amplifying issues of cannabis justice, the 421 FOR ALL live event draws inspiration from the iconic Live Aid charity concerts to help raise funds for selected benefit partners who are on the front lines of this important work. The public will be able to live-stream the entire broadcast fromChelsea Music Hall, joining the invite-only mix of activists, performers, educators, politicians and celebrities at the forefront of cannabis reform.
April 20th/420 has become an annual cultural phenomenon celebrating cannabis consumption, but despite legalization measures in the United States:
- people of color continue to be arrested, incarcerated, and criminalized for low-level cannabis offenses at greater rates than their white counterparts (despite similar rates of use);
- the communities hit hardest by cannabis prohibition may be prevented from participating in/otherwise benefitting from the newly legal cannabis industry;
- people with records for activities no longer considered criminal continue to bear the yoke of criminalization, which impacts their access to education, housing, medical services, nutritional programs;
- many would-be cannabis entrepreneurs face impossible barriers to entering the cannabis industry because access to capital has been routinely denied to them;
- patients experience difficulty in accessing their medicine and may be prevented de facto from accessing their medicine altogether;
- legalization legislation lacks comprehensive environmental considerations.
421 FOR ALL aims to open the conversation around cannabis, to consider alternative issues that impact the freedom to consume.“Cannabis legalization all too frequently omits meaningful criminal justice reforms, fails to repair communities that have borne the brunt of prohibition, doesn’t require diverse economic, ownership, and educational opportunities, and forgets to protect patients’ rights and our environment. We can no longer create regulated frameworks for cannabis commercialization at the expense of these considerations.
421 is about creating a day of cannabis education and advocacy, to highlight these priorities and the organizations working towards these goals,” said cannabis and hemp attorney/advisor, Cristina Buccola of CB Counsel, PLLC. Buccola partnered with social activist and event producer Sky Cohen, music marketing strategist Matthew Evertsen of RONIN and cannabis industry publicist Tracey Henry of Tracey Henry Consulting/THC to develop the 421 FOR ALL event as a step on the path towards making 421 an annual day of cannabis justice observance.
Please visit www.421forall.com and follow them on Instagram and Twitter @421forall for more information on the 421 FOR ALL campaign, information about the event, and how to watch the live stream on 4/21/19 at Chelsea Music Hall.